Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

Baked ham is a perfect main course for any holiday, of course, and growing up we always had one on the major holidays, right alongside a huge turkey and all the fixins, but we eat ham all year round at this house. I cook one often for Sunday dinner, so that I always have leftover ham in the freezer to use in sandwiches and salads, beans and soups, gumbo, jambalaya and casseroles. Baking your own is hands down more economical and far better tasting than most deli ham, which I find to be mighty salty these days.

Don't get me wrong... I certainly love having a leftover ham bone from a big bone-in ham, and I sure use them, but there are times that you just want the ham. A boneless ham is a good value because there is literally no waste and you're paying for pure ham and not the weight of the bone.

I'm not much of an innovator on the consumer scale of trying new things. Once I find a product I love, I tend to stick with the same thing year after year and it's rare that I venture away from them often, but I seriously can't believe I have never tried this ham before. Sure enough, the next time I was at my local grocery store, there they were right in the ham case.

The ham I received was a nice size, 6 pounds, and while there are complete instructions included on a basic bake, and even access to a holiday ham hotline for any questions you might have, I decided to make it in the slow cooker, with a pepper jelly glaze, which I finished off in the oven at the end to set the glaze. You'll find the complete recipe and instructions here.

The flavor of this ham is just outstanding. It's not overly salty, has a wonderful hickory smoked flavor, great texture and is both tender and juicy.

I thought for sure that I'd be able to freeze some of this for the little holiday meal that my husband and I share together away from the big family celebration, but neither of us could stay out of it! We are down to the last couple of slices, so I've already made up my mind to grab another Kentucky Legend next time I pick up my groceries! I think we might be hooked.

It was pretty cool to learn that Kentucky Legend hams have been made for more than 100 years in Owensboro, Kentucky, and that every ham is still hand selected and hand trimmed, even today. They are double-smoked with the same recipe and methods handed down through several generations.

I hope that you'll consider this ham for your holiday table. Kentucky Legend is available as a whole ham, half ham, petite or a sliced quarter ham. You can visit the website to find out where to buy one in your area and they even have a chart on that page to help you figure out how much ham you'll need for your guests.

Besides having a quality ham product, Kentucky Legend also has a consumer Ham Headquarters available - a great resource for everything from general ham information, to basic FAQs, and if you have specific questions that aren't covered there, you can email your questions, or if you need help right away, call the hotline at 1-866-343-5058 from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, all throughout the holiday season, from November 11 until December 28. They will field all of your ham related questions, from what size ham to buy for the number of guests you expect, to what type of wine to serve with your ham!

Kentucky Legend Hams are part of the Specialty Foods Group, Inc. (SFG) family of premium branded and private label meat products, all produced in the good ole U.S. of A. Learn more about Kentucky Legend Hams at the company’s web site, where you can sign up for their newsletter to get coupons, new recipes and find out about new promotions.

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED! Please check back on this post for the winner announcement.

Update! Congratulations to FJA who said...

There's nothing like ham & eggs for breakfast...I'd use the leftover ham for breakfast...fried up nicely with eggs over easy with some toast and maybe some fried up crispy hash brown potato's and then, of course, sandwiches for lunch...BUT, my wife likes to toss it into her split pea or bean soup...which is outstanding!

Shoot me an email at mary@deepsouthdish.com as soon as possible FJA with your full name and a street mailing address so I can get this ham out to you ASAP! Reference Kentucky Legend Ham Winner in your email so I can see it in the avalanche of email I get. Congratulations and thanks for entering everybody!

Hey... how about the chance to have a Kentucky Legend delivered right to your door, free?

That's right! The good folks at Kentucky Legend have offered me ONE free Kentucky Legend Off the Bone Ham to give to ONE lucky Deep South Dish reader free... and delivered right to your door - yay!

TO ENTER: Simply comment below to enter for a chance to win and tell me what you love to make with leftover baked ham. That's it! You may post with the NAME/URL or ANONYMOUS options, but be sure to fill in the name field or leave your name along with your comment so I'll know who you are if your name comes up in the random draw.

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED! HURRY!! This giveaway closes at NOON CST Thursday, November 21, 2013. One winner will be selected at random from the comments and will be announced on Thursday afternoon at the site on this same post, so bookmark this post to check back!

Readers are responsible for checking back to see if they were selected and need to provide name and a complete street address to me via email at mary@deepsouthdish.com as soon as possible, so that I can get this out to you quickly! Sorry, since this giveaway is sponsored in the U.S. it is open to U.S. residents only please.

This giveaway is a quick turnaround so STOP BACK by on Friday morning to learn if you've won and shoot me your address real quick like, so the folks at Kentucky Legend can rush this right out to you. I can't guarantee you'll have it for Thanksgiving, but we'll get it to you as quick as we can.

Thanks for reading and good luck!

Disclosure: I received one free Kentucky Legend ham plus another to host this giveaway to be sent to one person on random draw from the entries posted.

Leftover ham? There won't be any if this ham is as good as you say it is. I'd use it for sandwiches to take to school. I need strength and nourishment teaching my 3rd graders. Thanks for this opportunity to win a delicious ham.susanlulu@yahoo.com

Left over ham is a real treat -- I like to add it to my turnip greens and black eye peas and sometimes add it to a favorite Mac and cheese casserole. The possibilities are endless with this delectable product. :) :) :) Mary Louise

My husband says that it's not Thanksgiving without a ham! :) Our favorite thing to make with leftover ham is ham and cheese omelets! I think sometimes I enjoy those as much as the Thanksgiving meal itself!

Oh my gosh! It's 530AM and my mouth is watering for a slice of ham! I love ham and scalloped potatoes with the leftover ham. My momma could make a ham last forever. Sunday lunch, scalloped potatoes, sandwiches, and then ham and noodles from the bone.

I love to use leftover ham to put in macaroni and cheese casserole, diced and added to quiche, flavoring for cooked greens, sliced for sandwiches, flavoring for slow cooked pinto beans, and believe me, I treasure the leftovers like gold for these things. I love ham!

Nothing is better than a delicious slice of ham with great sides. Nothing except perhaps a wonderful sandwich. Oh, and nothing is much better than the split pea soup I make which depends on the leftover bits which show up in every spoonful.

Oh I love good ole ham sandwiches! Sliced with mayo, pickles, pepper jack cheese on fresh bread! The special baked bread in the grocery section! I like to warm it just a litte. Now thats what Im talking about!!!

Thanks for an opportunity to sample some good eats. I would make a Ham Pot Pie with & if there were any leftovers. I would let 'tropical' be my inspiration, because with ham, pineapple & cherries as the main ingredients, how could one go wrong.? Can I say YUM!

It is hard to decide what my FAVORITE use of leftover ham is but I absolutely LOVE scalloped potatoes and ham so that must be it, or fried rice with ham, or grilled ham & cheese, or an omelet......I can go on and on. Kathy F.

I have used this ham for years and we love it. Friends coming this week end and we are making Home Style Lechon Asado and will use the ham to complete the wonderful Cuban sandwiches. If you have never tried it you are really missing something. Mary perfect to go with the spiced peaches.

My choice would be ham and apple slaw sandwich with Swiss and Bourbon Mustard, but my sons would insist on their favorite....ham and swiss poppy seed sliders on dinner rolls with mustard sauce. Its a win- win.

Oh my! We have SUCH a hard time getting good Southern hams out here in the West! There are lots of casserole and soup recipes but there is NOTHING better than a yummy, thick ham sandwich!Carol at kroesche@comcast.net

Nothing smells any better than a good slice of ham and some good eggs, biscuits and hot coffee, cider or hot chocolate cooking in the kitchen - the morning after Christmas, when everyone is sitting around watching TV or playing with their gifts and just relaxing!

Being from the South, I would have ham and eggs with biscuits from leftovers as well as soup (bean with ham)....wouldn't waste any sweet morsel leftover.....Yum! Thanks Mary for the chance to win!Becky

Ham and beans, ham and eggs with biscuits.... I even use the fat for scrapple!! But usually dont have any leftovers with ham and this bunch!! Sandwiches for two or three days and we're done!! Thank you for the opportunity to try your ham!

Lol. what can't you do with left over baked ham?! we like to make ham subs, take left over dressing, cranberry sauce, ham, gravy, mash tators or sweet tators, put it on a wheat, yeah we have to be health - as if, roll and a tall glass of some sweet tea. Oh yeah honey that is the stuff! leave ya full as a tick!

I am definitely trying this ham. I bought a small ham this week & my husband said it was awful he asked me to find a real ham. We hadn't had ham in a while. I'm going to make a ham & potato soup once I have leftovers from a good ham. Would love to win this. Thanks for the chance.

Leftover ham? What's that? On occasion when I do have some leftover, I like to add the ham to mixed vegetables, potatoes, onion and celery and pour a homemade cheese sauce over the whole thing. Bake till bubbly and serve with crusty bread. Yum!

Would LOVE to try this ham! Ham has always been a favorite and my most-often asked for birthday dinner as a child (ham, scalloped potatoes, and green beans)! As an adult I like to add a pineapple sauce, the recipe received from my sister-in-law's aunt:

love ham i make a few things with left overs the 1st is ham an yellow rice with cheese so good the next is ham salad little celery little mayo onion peppers little mustard egg mix it up great for crackers or bread and the last is ham pot pie pea carrots cream of cheese or cream of mushroom soup put in pie shell make a cute top for it wow

I am the only person in my household and when I have an urge for ham, I will buy a big one just so I have leftovers. First and foremost, for ham salad. I love ham salad whether in a sandwich or on a bed of lettuce. I have been on a quest to make the best deviled ham. So, along with all the regular condiments one would put in ham salad, I have started using capers with some of the juice. What a difference they make and changes plain to fantastic! I then use the discarded pieces for ham pieces to flavor all my beans.

Oh my goodness what couldn't you do with this ham? After having it for a great meal the leftovers could be a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, or perhaps cubed in a great pot of 16 bean soup or in a omelet or in soup or beans anything is possible with a great ham.

I used to cook for only 2 people at my house, now I cook for 4 with a large extended family ... so IF there were leftovers though I highly doubt there would be I would make a layered ham casserole, corn bread stuffing at the bottom, chopped ham, mashed turnips and carrots, mashed potatoes and cheese ... all baked together. Thanks for the opportunity to win, the ham sounds delicious.

A casserole of Scalloped Potatoes with Ham is a warm, cozy, and easy way to wind down from the heavy holiday meals and use use the last little bit of ham - I usually add some depth with an aged Swiss cheese and a bit of chopped onion.

Girl, since I found Kentucky Legend Ham at Wal Mart, I don't buy another brand of ham. KL is the best ham you can buy! Great taste, tender, and delicious! I love to use leftover ham in a pot of pinto beans or in a breakfast casserole!

A big old pot of beans seasoned with ham leftovers, or some good old hoppin' john is the way to go! Some cornbread or hoecakes will insure the family gets to the table on time, with smiles on their faces! Yummmm Yummmm! Eat um up!

With leftover ham, I like to make Ham Tetrazzini, ham salad or some type of soup. My family loves ham, especially children, so it's always a winner in our house! Thank you! Dorothy Perry/Warner Robins, GA, gp_dp@cox.net

Ham sandwiches are a given but we like slices of leftover ham fried up in a skillet and served with eggs and hot biscuits for breakfast. I always save one biscuit back to eat a "ham n jam" sandwich to finish off the meal. Love the sweet n salty together. These hams are delicious and they're pretty standard fare here in western KY!Thanks for a chance to win, Mary!Utica, KY - chephtsiybahh AT gmail DOT com

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The classic southern plate for supper is made up of meat and three, cornbread or rolls & a tall glass of sweet iced tea.

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